I realize I'm not the target demographic, but apparently in the name of trying to appeal to youth with "short attention spans" who "want it now," the advertising that continues to be churned out by those ad people just floors me.

Before I say this, a painstaking reminder that I am not the Church Lady and am not easily offended. But!

The premise of a TV spot for Amp'd Mobile is, roughly: "entertain yourself."

It portrays the fantasy world of a twenty-something bus rider (I assume the idea is to appeal to people 3-8 years younger than him). He tells the big hulking guy and a defenseless old man to "fight each other". They begin going at it and the big guys begins to toss the elderly one around like a rag doll. A pathetic looking bearded chap is asked to turn the radio up louder. Fantasy boy then tells the large African American woman to "shake her junk," which she obligingly does. Then the bus driver slams on the brakes, as requested. Everyone goes flying.

Maybe ads have too much violence and ridicule in them, and not enough sex, for my taste. :) Or maybe they just aren't uplifting or fun, which they could have been. Racy? A big guy whupping an elderly man's ass? Huh? That's just unglued.

Or maybe it's a more general phenomenon: much advertising just remains nearly impossible for 80% of us to watch, but it's broadcast to all of us... so it's grating. The problem there is (as we think about how much more targeted the ads need to be in future): it's not just about "I don't want that product." (I might, after all - wouldn't a lot of people want a new type of mobile plan with video content?) It's that I don't want that type of advertising. It's that line that's hard to put your finger on, that crosses the line between funny and just plain mean.

Does more than 2% of the buying population actually want it or respond to it?

It makes me wonder why they continue to create it.This guy appears to agree with me. I'm sure there are many others who don't. My take? Not complicated. To Taxi, the ad agency who made the ad, I'd say: make less money if you have to, and refuse to sink this low.